What to do if milk is making you miserable

ATLANTA - If dairy doesn’t sit well with you, you may have grown lactose-intolerant.

Dr. Hillary Bashaw, a pediatric gastroenterologist with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University, says it can happen gradually, your body stops making enough lactase, a digestive enzyme that breaks down the sugar in milk.

"So, lactose intolerance is either too little of that enzyme to handle the amount of lactose you’ve consumed or the complete absence of that enzyme," Bashaw explains.

As we age, digesting dairy can become a problem.

"It’s fairly common that, over your lifetime, people will become lactose intolerant. Almost 75% of adults will become lactose intolerant," she says.

Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, diarrhea, gas, nausea, abdominal pain, stomach rumbling and vomiting.

Dr. Bashaw says it is pretty easy to figure out whether you might be lactose intolerant.

"It’s a simple trial at home," she says. "If you’re having GI symptoms like bloating, diarrhea or belly pain, try cutting back on some of those lactose-containing foods," Bashaw says. "And, it often doesn’t need any additional testing, or even sometimes the involvement of a doctor. Try cutting back on the amount of milk or ice cream or switch to a non-cow’s milk dairy alternative."

Swearing off milk and milk products can be challenging.

So, for people with mild lactose intolerance symptoms, Bashaw recommends trying to find a happy medium that works for you.

"So, rather than avoiding lactose altogether, try smaller amounts or try dairy products that have a lower amount of lactose, like harder cheeses," she says. "Those have less lactose than soft cheeses."

There are also lactose-free milk and milk products, and lactase supplements can help reduce your symptoms.

If you decide to go dairy-free, Dr. Bashaw says, there are lots of milk alternatives like soy milk, almond milk and oat or rice milk.

If you overdo it, Dr. Bashaw says, try not to sweat it.

"It’s really nothing that’s going to hurt your body," Bashaw says. "So, if you do take too much lactose when you’re lactose intolerant, it’s just uncomfortable. It won’t hurt you in the long run."